The Idea of Mirroring
by StoriedFabric
Summary: [One-shots] Series of individual stories that explore the symbolisms, mirrors, and themes in the anime, Inuyasha - focusing mostly on Sesshomaru and Rin. These stories will offer different interpretations and reveal insightful meanings. Curious? Read to find out more!
1. Chapter 1

**MIRRORING BETWEEN THE MEETINGS OF THE DOG DEMON BROTHERS AND THEIR HUMAN COMPANIONS**

The sun is already on the rise and although our room is sheltered from the blinding rays of light, I see a solitary streak of sunlight on the floor. My mate, Rin, is still asleep, curled against me. As I finger her wispy strands of hair, I contemplate on the similarity of our meeting with that of my half brother and his mate, Kagome.

During that battle with Inuyasha, my tenseiga protected me from his fatal blow, sending me to a forest. As I laid injured against the tree from my battle, the bushes rustled and out came a little girl. She looked at me curiously and though my first reaction was to intimidate her, she nevertheless approached closer. She gave me her food, her constant care, and most importantly, _that_ smile. When she was in danger from the wolves, she instinctively ran towards me in the forest, trusting that I would help her. She freed me from my anger towards my father and jealousy over Inuyasha's tessaiga. I was liberated in a way.

When Inuyasha was pinned on the tree by the arrow, he laid dormant. Kagome then rustled out of the bushes and her curiosity encouraged her to go closer to him. When she was in danger by the caterpillar demon, she also instinctively ran to Inuyasha. Inuyasha's first conscious reaction to her was not warm or kind, instead it was to cause her harm - in order to pay back Kikyo. Kagome nevertheless removed the arrow from his chest, freeing him from his imprisonment. By relieving the arrow from his chest and being his friend, she provided him with her constant loyalty, causing Inuyasha to trust and depend on other people, instead of keeping to himself. He, like me, was liberated from anger and selfish desires for power.

So you see, there are some similar facets in both of our first meetings. The tree, the rustling bushes, the female humans, the pulling of the arrow and giving of the food, the loyalty of the two female humans, and the change of heart in which they evoked within us.

As I think about the past, Rin stirs next to me. For the first time in my long life, I am content. I am freed from being the villain, the constant anger, as well as the lack of love. She fills me like I have never been full before and in return, I treasure her.

**THE END**


	2. Chapter 2

**MIRRORING BETWEEN RIN'S CARE OF JAKEN AND SESSHOMARU**

Once it was announced that Sesshomaru-sama and Rin were to become mates, I was astounded - in fact, I felt as though Sesshomaru-sama had thrown another rock at me or pummeled me to the ground with his strong foot! In short, I was certainly not expecting it. So I started to wonder exactly how this secret romance began under my very own eyes.

Why is Rin so special to Sesshomaru-sama? Was it because she cared for him when he was injured?

She brought him food and water, braved the anger of the villagers, the danger of Sesshomaru-sama, and never failed to check on him every day he was in the forest. Her smile and loyalty warmed his heart.

_Big deal!_

She cared for me as well when I was dying from Naraku's poisonous bugs.

She pledged to bring the medicinal herbs from Jinenji's garden to me, braved the dangers of the high cliffs and the lower demons, and her determination gave me hope.

But I, Jaken, have still considered her to be no more than a pest. So then why has the mighty Sesshomaru fallen for her, when I have not; or more importantly, when she treated us both the same? Perhaps if she had done more for him (than me) in his time of need, there would be some justification for his deep feelings for her but she did not - so what is it that truly attracts her to him?

It is true that Sesshomaru-sama allowed Rin to travel with us, only because she cared for him when he was badly injured by his half breed brother. But I see now that Sesshomaru-sama did not treat Rin merely according to obligation, because he went above and beyond, far more than Rin could ever pay him. Instead, he seemed attached to Rin in a way that soothed him and dare I say, calmed his demon blood.

The mating ceremony was over a month back and we are now traveling again. The only difference is that while Sesshomaru-sama has never been fond of public displays of affection, he compensates for it by allowing Rin to walk closely with him. As I see them now walking in front of me, their bodies are so close together side by side that one could never tell where Sesshomaru-sama began and where Rin ended! That foolish mortal could never contain her emotions after all, no wonder Sesshomaru-sama indulges her so!

Humph.

Perhaps it is time for this Jaken to find a mate also...

**THE END**


	3. Chapter 3

**MIRRORING BETWEEN TENSEIGA AND TESSAIGA**

A series of thumps could be heard outside Totosai's grotesque cave. Totosai had just finished making a sword for Inuyasha's son. Inuyasha had commissioned a sword three days back, permitting Totosai the pleasure of extracting a fang from Inuyasha's mouth. Inuyasha, after pummeling Totosai, said he would be back for it in exactly three days.

Now that Totosai was finished, he had no more commissions to attend to. He had a bath all ready and he was soon soaking in the hot steamy water, releasing the sound of the constant thumping from his head.

As the hot water in his bath soothed him, his thoughts turned to the dog demon brothers or more specifically, the swords he had forged for them a long time back. What were they called? Oh that's right - the tessaiga and the tenseiga. The two swords were such opposites, quite like the brothers who wielded them. But what caught Totosai's interests was how both swords activated themselves for the first time in the presence of the two brothers...

Sesshomaru's heirloom, the tenseiga, first worked for him only when he used it to revive the human girl Rin. When Sesshomaru came upon Rin, she was dead on the forest floor after being mauled by wolves. Instantly, he was reminded of her smile and kindness to him, and for the first time, felt enough sympathy to use the tenseiga. The tenseiga then also for the first time, showed its true power in reviving Rin to life.

Inuyasha's heirloom, the tessaiga, first worked for him only when he used it to protect Kagome. When Kagome's life was threatened by Sesshomaru's dog form, Inuyasha instantly reassured the weeping Kagome by ensuring to protect her with his sword. The tessaiga, as if on cue, worked like a charm whenever Kagome was in the picture.

Myouga had explained that Inuyasha's tessaiga only sprang into action when it had to protect the human female, Kagome, and in doing so mirrored Izayoi - the human wife of the dog demon Inutaisho. Although that is true for the tessaiga, it does not explain why Sesshomaru's tenseiga, also sprang into action when it came to reviving the human female, Rin. Did Sesshomaru's tenseiga also require human sympathy to function?

Coincidentally, both the human women Rin and Kagome, proved instrumental in changing the two stubborn dog demons', for the better. _So Perhaps the swords also acted as matchmakers..._

That clever Inutaisho is probably having a good laugh right now!

"Ouch!" cried Totosai, rubbing the bruised bump on his head.

"Where's my pup's sword, old man?" said Inuyasha, who appeared quite out of the blue.

"Youngster, don't you have any manners at all?" cried Totosai, still rubbing the bruise on his head.

"What were you doing anyway, laughing your head off like a lunatic? Growing crazy in your old age now, are we?" taunted Inuyasha.

Totosai rolled his eyes and cradled his head on his elbows, looking into space regretfully.

"These dog demons..."

**THE END**


	4. Chapter 4

**THE HIDDEN LANGUAGE OF RIN'S KIMONOS**

Sesshomaru knew what he was doing.

His table in the library, usually covered with scrolls and old manuscripts, was now littered with layers of decorative fabric. His piercing golden eyes studied them and his restless claws scraped against them. He was sifting through various fabrics, with the intention of hiring the best seamstress in the Western Lands, to make Rin a fine kimono. He had previously sent Jaken with the order of collecting only the finest fabrics from the top merchants in the Western Lands.

For Sesshomaru's practiced eyes and hands, choosing a fabric and hiring a seamstress was a meticulous task. It was a meticulous task because he was not merely purchasing another kimono for Rin, rather he was expressing what she meant to him in the colours of those kimonos.

Take for instance, that first kosode he bought Rin. Jaken had assumed it was only because the child looked pitiable, clothed in that old, torn, and dirty red kosode - Jaken was right but not entirely. While it is true that Sesshomaru did buy her a brand new kosode to replace her tattered one, it is also because the method of choosing Rin's clothing fascinated him. He quickly realized that he could express his feelings for Rin, through the Japanese meanings of colours in the fabric - and all this without ever having to say a word!

Now the first kosode he bought Rin was made of a patchwork of orange and yellow squares, scattered with joined green circles, and enclosed with a green sash.

Through the colour orange, Sesshomaru meant to express that Rin was energetic, and he wanted Rin to live out the child in her. This can be seen in the way she played games with Jaken or the way she would treasure flowers. The orange colour also meant that she was warm at heart, and this is true with the way she obtained food for Sesshomaru when he was hurt, and the way she was adamant about obtaining the antidote for Jaken when he was dying from Naraku's poisonous bugs. The orange colour also represented balance and indeed, she balanced Sesshomaru in making up for what he lacked in her energy and warmth, as well as her enthusiasm for life despite her dark childhood.

Through the the colour yellow, Sesshomaru conveyed the joy and happiness in Rin's upbeat personality. She was the very symbol of happiness and her joyful smile was so contagious that it moved Sesshomaru's heart. But the yellow colour also stood for optimism and indeed Rin was very much of an optimist; because despite her hard past, she chose to be happy in Sesshomaru and Jaken's company, in order to make up for all the tears she cried in her childhood.

Sesshomaru chose the joined green circles that appear in Rin's kosode, to do so in pairs - the first is the bigger circle and the second is the smaller circle and they overlap each other. The first bigger circle is Sesshomaru himself and the smaller circle is Rin and both circles overlap each other because they both need each other. Sesshomaru needs Rin's company just as Rin needs Sesshomaru's protection.

The green colour in the sash signifies nature, as a preparation for Rin's life with the two demons; who do not live in villages, but in nature. Nature is also where Sesshomaru and Rin first met each other. The colour green also stands for Rin's youth and vivaciousness.

Now the second kimono that Sesshomaru gifted Rin was very different. Sesshomaru took into consideration that Rin now lived in the village. So to set her apart from the other girls in the village, he had a more striking kimono made for her. This kimono had a bold pattern of light and dark purple zig zags, alternating each other. There were also yellow butterflies scattered around and a pink obi sash at the back.

The shades of purple in Rin's kimono, represented royalty and nobility. Sesshomaru was indeed an aristocrat and as her benefactor, he was determined to prepare Rin to see the richness he could afford her. Not to mention, such a rich kimono would indirectly tell Rin that she was not meant to be in the village forever, and it would also let the villagers know that she was not an ordinary peasant girl.

The colour yellow in the butterflies symbolized Rin's joy and optimism. As she grows into a young woman, she will become elegant and womanly, but those yellow butterflies of happiness and optimism will always linger in her.

The colour pink in the sash symbolized Rin's innocence but it is also a hint and a preparation for Rin's coming of age as a woman.

Now the third kimono that Sesshomaru gifted her, was also radically different. It had a light pink background, with dark pink lines scattered all around it. It also had yellow dots and lanterns over it.

The largely pink shades in the kimono signified Rin's purity, as she is evolving into a young woman. The shades of pink also signified one who is in the possession of a virgin heart and body, as well as one who is capable of giving pure love.

The yellow colour in the lanterns and dots, as always, signified happiness and optimism.

Although Rin's kosode and two kimonos were all dramatically different from each other, all three had the similarity of the colour yellow in the form of patches, butterflies, dots and lanterns. By doing this, Sesshomaru wanted Rin to understand that even as she becomes older and goes through many changes, she will undoubtedly always have that burst of yellow in her, signifying her true nature of happiness and optimism.

Sesshomaru also, being very sneaky, borrowed inspiration from his own sash in picking Rin's kimonos. His sash contained a larger proportion of yellow and a smaller proportion of purple. In all his kimonos to Rin, the colour yellow was always in them in one small form or another. Likewise, in Rin's first kimono, purple was the predominant colour. Rin's kosode and two kimonos mirrored the yellow in Sesshomaru's sash while the purple in her first kimono mirrored the purple also in his sash.

Sesshomaru also took inspiration from his mother's kimono. The yellow butterflies in Rin's first kimono mirrors the yellow butterflies in Sesshomaru's mother, Inukimi's, own kimono. Although if one were to ask Sesshomaru where the inspiration for the yellow butterflies came from, he would loathe to reveal the answer.

So as Sesshomaru is sifting through the fabrics one after the other, he decides to take a cue from the hints of red in the yellow laterns in Rin's second kimono. He will pick a fabric with a largely red colour scheme to signify the strong emotion of passion...

**THE END**

_Resources consulted in the making of this story:_

Rin's wikipedia page

Inukimi's wikipedia page

The colours and their meanings in Japanese culture via three-musketeers / mike / colors . html (without the spaces)


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